Mr Set Piece - Arsenal's unsung hero

If you had watched an Arsenal game recently, you might have noticed a man standing beside Mikel Arteta at the edge of the restricted area while the Gunners take their set pieces. That's one of the London side's key figures this season and their set-piece coach - Nicolas Jover.

Apart from being as vital as Arteta on Arsenal's bench, the Frenchman born in Berlin is one of Pep Guardiola's biggest losses and rare major mistakes, given that he spent two seasons (2019-2021) at Man City with the same role as at Emirates. Still, one Spaniard overlooked his importance, but the other didn't, as Arteta added him to the staff and now "harvests the fruits of his decision."

Namely, Arsenal have scored more goals from corners than any other Premier League team since the beginning of the last season and completely destroyed Man United last night from these set pieces. After all, the Gunners netted both their goals behind corner kicks. In addition, set pieces were key components of the Gunners' victory in the North London derby against Tottenham and draws against Liverpool and Man City, as they scored three of their five goals in the two derbies from free-kick and corner crosses.

At the same time, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice - Arsenal's main set-piece takers - became absolutely lethal regarding crosses, while the centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes became more productive than his namesake and fellow countryman Jesus, the forward. And when the Brazilian defender was not there, like last night, the scorers Jurrien Timber and William Saliba, as well as Mikel Merino and Thomas Partey, were there to step up and prove that the Gunners do not rely on a player but on a system in which any squad member can fit.

However, from Jover's perspective, there's no time for celebration and complacency since Premier League sides are working on how to stop him and Arsenal's "lethal weapon." But, knowing the Frenchman, he is already back in the lab, trying to invent a new set-piece formation.

Think you can beat Arsenal? Just look at the numbers

Arsenal are still far from their goal - the top spot and the title - as Liverpool are seven points ahead. But they have hope. Just imagine where they would have been without the 43-year-old set-piece specialist, the man who started the Premier League revolution and who has been as crucial as Arteta. Nicolas Jover is "Mr Set Piece."

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 14

Tuesday

Ipswich - Crystal Palace 0-1 (0-0)

/Mateta 59/

Leicester - West Ham 3-1 (1-0)

/Vardy 2, Khannous 61,Daka 90 - Fullkrug 90+3/

Wednesday

Everton - Wolverhampton 4-0 (2-0)

/Young 10, Mangala 33, Dawson 49 og, 72 og/

Man.City - Nott.Forest 3-0 (2-0)

/Silva 8, De Bruyne 31, Doku 57/

Newcastle - Liverpool 3-3 (1-0)

/Isak 35, Gordon 62, Schar 90 - Jones 50, Salah 68, 83/

Southampton - Chelsea 1-5 (1-3)

/Aribo 11 - Disasi 7, Nkunku 17, Madueke 34, Palmer 76, Sancho 84/

Arsenal - Man.Utd. 2-0 (0-0)

/Timber 54, Saliba 73/

Aston Villa - Brentford 3-1 (3-0)

/Rogers 21, Watkins 28 pen, Cash 34 - Damsgaard 54/

Thursday

22:30: (2.45) Fulham (3.50) Brighton (3.00)

23:15: (2.70) Bournemouth (3.90) Tottenham (2.50)

***odds are subject to change***